Date: October 19 2000
Trail Day: 141
Miles Today: 19
Location: Wilson Creek Shelter
Section Mile: AT 1393
ECT Mile: 2091
T-Pot, Bedbug and me decided to attempt a 26 mile day to Fullhardt Knob
Shelter. I hiked with 10-4 for a while. About 6 miles into the hike
my feet started hurting. The blisters are quite bad. Decided to cut it
to a 19 mile day.
Sole PainT-Pot did do the 26. The rest of the gang also showed up at this shelter. Its getting to be a big group now. We are planning on getting to the motel at the I-81 interchange in time for Blue's birthday. His mom and girlfriend are going to be there. It will be a surprise.
Little Miss Brown
This time around
Aimed for a twenty six
A British bug
An Indian thug
Also gunned for it
Half way down
Spider had a frown
Foot pain aplenty
Dont know the rest
I wish them the best
I stop at mile twenty.
Date: October 20 2000
Trail Day: 142
Miles Today: 11
Location: Best Western Motel, I-81
Section Mile: AT 1404
ECT Mile: 2102
Late last night a hunting dog came to our
shelter
and slept with us. He was
extremely hungry and ate a lot of our food. 10-4 was going to get to a road
and hitch to I-81 with the dog and turn him over to the authorities. Andrew,
H-Monster and me started off first. About 15 minutes into the hike we found
that the dog was following us. We decided to take him to I-81.
The pace was fast. Andrew is 6' 4'', big and fast. We reached I-81 quite
quickly.
The rest of the group slowly filtered in. We got 3 motel rooms. Blue's
mother and girlfriend showed up later and surprised him. They also
bought us shrimps, nuts, cheese, meat etc for a party. A time for eating
and drinking. Most people went to bed at about 3:00 AM. I stayed up
till 5:00 AM.
Date: October 21 2000
Trail Day: 143
Miles Today: 10
Location: Near Tinker Cliff
Section Mile: AT 1414
ECT Mile: 2112
Got a late start and decided to do a short day. The group has now become
too big. I am thinking of speeding up and leaving them behind.
Fairly easy hike today. Decided to sleep out just past the shelter. Saw
numerous day hikers.
Date: October 22 2000
Trail Day: 144
Miles Today: 22
Location: Trout Creek
Section Mile: AT 1436
ECT Mile: 2134
Last night I was sleeping in a deer's territory - the familiar snorting
and stamping. I have actually not encountered it in a while. Had a good,
warm sleep to make up for last night. I think I am also psychologically
prepared for winter now. Saw John the Baptist sleeping 20 yards from
where I was. Also left a note for T-Pot at one of the shelters asking
her to catch up to me or send me an email if she wanted to hike to
Key West. She has been toying with the idea. I think it will be great
to hike with her.
Mc Afee knob had a decent
view. When I got there, there was still a mist.
Met H-Monster, EZE, Andrew and 10-4 heading north. Looks like they
are just doing a day hike of Mc Afee knob.
I had originally planned on going to the Home Place in Catawba. They
have an all you can eat for 9.00 $. I've heard lots of good things about
it, but I have been spending so much time in towns and near civilization
that I am not that interested in restaurants now.
The climb up Dragon's Tooth was hard. They had metal bars driven in rocks
for climbing. I think I saw them last in New Hampshire. There were
numerous day hikers. It felt good to blow past them with a full pack !
I was quite worm out after the climb though and the last 3-4 miles
seemed quite long. Now cooking dinner with Suriyan's new stove. The
lighting process is definitely a pain.
Date: October 23 2000
Trail Day: 145
Miles Today: 21
Location: Laurel Creek Shelter
Section Mile: AT 1457
ECT Mile: 2156
Started climbing to Audie Murphy monument. It went fairly quickly. The trail
then descended to a very good valley. Then a climb back to Sinking Creek
Mountain. The ridge walk was quite rugged in portions. You walk on the
portions covered with leaves or the rocks. The leaves slip and are quite
hard on the knees. The rocks are slanted every which way. To make things
interesting there are thorny bushes on either side. I saw 2 goats there.
They came up to me and started licking my legs. I think they are after the
salt. I gave them some salt I had. One of the goats started chewing on my
pack strap and left it covered with slime. I got a
shot
of the 2 goats.
Then came a descent and a nice walk along some pastures. It got quite
dark by the end and I thought I had missed the shelter. There were 2 section
hikers there.
Water is becoming quite a problem now. I have been without water for several
times in the past few days. It has also been very dry. We also need some
rain to start the leaf decomposition process. The trails are just covered
with them.
Looks like Firebreather, Fall Girl, George and Sweet Cicily are one day
ahead. I will try and catch up with them now. I dont think I will be
seeing the group behind again. They were fun.
Today
Saw fish in Trout Creek
Slipped on Brush Mountain Peak
Got licked by goats
Pleasant walk through meadows
Date: October 24 2000
Trail Day: 146
Miles Today: 23
Location: Dickinson Gap
Section Mile: AT 1480
ECT Mile: 2179
A climb, flat, down then another climb, down and another climb. That was
the profile today. The valleys are now very rich. They have several
streams in them and have vegetation with very thick leaves. Its very
beautiful.
There were sodas in Wav Spur shelter organized by Blue Skies whom I met
back in New York or so. Some of the thru hikers had gone to the ALDHA
meeting held about 2 weeks ago. We thus know who is how far behind.
Attending the meeting seemed to have no point for me. Why hear people
talk about the trail when you are actually doing it ? Besides, in public forums
like this there is always a positive spin on the trail. The sweat, dirt,
bites and weariness are never mentioned. Very unbalanced. Any way, I did
not hear any great things about it.
Today was also a day with bad map profiles. There is a section in Stony Creek
valley that the map shows as flat. It is however a mini roller coaster.
There was also another section that ran parallel to a Salt Sulphur
Turnpike. The road had taken up the ridge top which is fairly even. The trail
ran on the side of the mountain and was very rocky. Leaves covering rock
can be very dangerous. Slipped several times. Also had to go slow and
my patience was tested.
Met 4 section hikers. We are certainly in the Bible belt. I keep getting
"May the Lord Bless You" from these idiots. There are also numerous
Bibles in all of the shelter. How these religious wackos can assume we
need to be saved without knowing the first thing about us is beyond me.
Got a drizzle during the day. I am also eating Luncheon meat made by
Kroger's. It is extremely salty and I end up drinking all my water and
still end up with a parched throat at night. Will not be buying
them any more. Fish seems to be the way to go.
Tomorrow Pearisburg to pick up a mail drop.
Date: October 25 2000
Trail Day: 147
Miles Today: 17
Location: Angel's Rest
Section Mile: AT 1497
ECT Mile: 2196
Today was an overcast day. I was in high spirits. The trail ran the ridge
and then descended into Pearisburg. It was beautiful.
Morning Walk
A sweet melody on the lips,
Pack's snug on the hips,
Feel the early morning nip,
Far away a lonely farm.
Breathing in the mountain air,
A chipmunk chatters over there,
Bliss and beauty everywhere,
A little bird sings his song.
Feeling nature's harmony,
Wild apples are sweet honey,
Trees magestic so many,
Beauty shows in every form.
The trail entrances with her charm,
An overwhelming sense of calm,
Body, spirit, arm in arm,
Nature is soul's soothing balm.
